A MOTHER and her young daughter died after they were electrocuted on their Tablelands farm.
The woman 39 and her 10-year-old daughter were electrocuted following the accident about 11am on New Year’s Eve on their farm at Eriksen Rd near Tumoulin.
Another child who was in the area at the time received minor injuries.
Cairns Police Superintendent Geoff Sheldon said it appeared the freak accident had occurred after a wire was tied to a truck’s bullbar, before a battery charger was attached to recharge the truck’s battery.
“They had attached a wire to a truck bull bar and tied it to a stump to keep some horses from straying,” Supt Sheldon said.
“Later a battery charger was attached to the truck at the truck has become electrified.
“Mother and daughter were out picking vegetables and later touched the wire and have been electrocuted.”
Insp Sheldon said the husband had found his wife and child and also received an electric shock.
He frantically performed CPR after rallying neighbours to help.
”He was able to cut off electricity and was providing CPR to his wife and child and was able to contact other members of the community who've all come along with paramedics to try to resuscitate the mother and child but unfortunately their efforts were negative and they both died at the scene.”
Insp Sheldon said the accident had shocked the tight-knit community.
“This has struck to the very heart of the community, it's just a family tragedy with such a broad impact, that everybody in the community knew them, came to help at a time of crisis and they've all been horrendously affected by this on what was New Years Eve.”
Police and Workplace Health and Safety investigations are continuing.